Passive display screens are used to present images that are projected by a projector. For instance, home entertainment systems often use projection systems to project images onto a passive screen to provide a big screen, high quality viewing experience. The images may be projected from the front side of the screen (i.e., the side facing the viewing audience) or from the rear side (i.e., the side hidden from the viewing audience).
With front projection systems, one of the challenges that may impact viewing quality is the physical arrangement of the screen within an environment, relative to the projector, and relative to the viewer(s). Ideally, for a conventional screen, the projector should project the image from a location that is normal to a planar surface of the screen. The viewer should also have a point of view that is normal to the planer surface. But, in this arrangement, the viewer's body (e.g., head, shoulders) may intercept at least a portion of the projected image, blocking that image from reaching the screen. To avoid this unintended obstruction, projectors may be placed in front of the viewers, or from an overhead or side position. However, these placements may not help. For instance, placing the projector in front of the viewers may obstruct the view of the viewer, and moving the projector relative to a conventional screen may cause degradation in the quality of the image presented on the screen.
Rear projection systems avoid challenges caused by potential viewer obstruction, but still encounter unique challenges in that the images are projected onto the screen from behind and yet the screen needs to present high quality images in the opposing direction toward the viewing audience.